ECOTOURISM AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT: A CASE STUDY OF MANDRAJAYA VILLAGE

Abstract

The Indonesian government has acknowledged the value of community-based ecotourism as a tool for rural community development, which is common in developing nations. The purpose of this study is to investigate methods for obtaining a better understanding of how ecotourism enterprises affect the lives of locals in the vicinity of tourist destinations. This research employs a qualitative research method and involved 20 informants as participants. In the context of development, the success of ecotourism businesses is measured based on the extent to which local communities have control and share benefits fairly from these ecotourism activities. An empowerment paradigm is suggested as a useful tool to assist in examining the social, political, psychological, and economic effects of ecotourism on nearby populations. The results of the study show that the local communities involved in the CBE project in Mandrajaya Village have succeeded in changing their livelihoods economically, socially, culturally, and environmentally.